Written by Patricia A. Scheier
NKyTribune reporter
Sustaining Members’ Samaritan Car Care donation campaign runs through Aug. 22, but the organization needs support year-round.
Samaritan Car Care is a life-saving business and is akin to a miracle agency. The building at 1428 Madison Avenue in Covington doesn’t have a name, but it has three bays and an additional bay without an elevator, so there’s no doubt that good work is being done there.
Imagine someone who is down on their luck and has several children but regularly struggles to make ends meet.
People will help if she asks, and perhaps she will enroll in a training program to prepare her for a job that will help keep her family above her head and pay to keep the lights and heat on. right.
She got a job, but what is she doing with the kids now? And how does she get to and from her new job? She’s not on the bus route.
There are hundreds of people trying to break out of the cycle of poverty, and with help, it’s possible.
“I’ve been going to Madison Avenue Church of Christ for 36 years,” said Bruce Kintner, director of Samaritan Car Care. “Pastor Chinamutu Simon asked me to help find reliable transportation for women who need it.”
He and a few other volunteers started doing oil changes and very simple repairs on the cars of low-income single mothers. They first arranged the repair through a network of local northern Kentucky repair shops.
That was 16 years ago. Through donations and hard work, Samaritan Car Care Clinic has grown.
In 2023, the organization will open a new building at 1428 Madison Street, and more than a dozen agents will regularly refer women to repairs such as oil changes, new tires, air filters, and brakes for their older model cars. are doing.
So far this year alone, we have been able to support 129 families, but we have had to turn down support to 130 other families due to lack of funds.
Women often have cars but don’t know how to change the oil or have a good place to do it. Then there’s the issue of tires. When your tires go bald, you lose traction and your car becomes a danger to your family and others on the road. In addition to that, you will also need to address your brakes if they wear out and make it difficult to stop.
“Four new tires on your car won’t help you if your brakes won’t hold up and you can’t stop,” Kintner says. “Safety and reliability are our top concerns. The average repair cost for a vehicle is approximately $1000. This work is not free and we ask families to cover a portion of the cost. .”
Jim Dennis, Director of Service and Education, was in charge of garages in the Erlanger-Elsmere area before signing on to be responsible for all things Samaritan Car Care.
“I tell moms that when they see a car they want to buy, they should bring it to me first,” Dennis said. “If they bring it to me first before they buy it, I will have all the good news. If they do, it’s probably going to be bad news because now it’s their problem.”
He tells them that if the seller won’t allow them to take the car to an independent repair shop, they should walk away from the car. He encourages driving with a spare in addition to taking the car to the garage, and encourages regular maintenance such as oil changes. Dennis currently has two of his students at Gateway, Jose Frias and Lee Gibson, coaching him in car repair.
Kintner said they have come a long way, but the car’s need for care is so great that it’s disappointing to have to turn away so many people they’ve helped. Nationally, child care issues for these families are addressed far more than their transportation needs, and both are viewed as an attempt to break the cycle rather than reach out to become financially independent. , is an issue to help these mothers raise their hands.
Samaritan Car Care’s website is samaritancarcare.org and there is a place on the website where you can select a button to donate. If you have a car that has some life left in it, you can also donate it. The phone number is 859-525-6240. If a business or individual would like to donate, they can mail it to 1428 Madison Avenue in Covington or do so through the website. Gifts can be ordered starting at $10. Alternatively, you can link your Kroger loyalty card to your dealership.
Valvoline donates oil for oil changes, and several companies are making in-kind donations. The company needs financial donations and supplies.
“This is an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life and help your neighbor,” Kintner said. “The clinic elevator is a car for sale. Your gift enhances life.”